Elote Pasta Salad (Mexican Street Corn Style) with Canned Corn

How to Make Elote Pasta Salad (Step by Step)

This Mexican street corn pasta salad is sweet, smoky, creamy, and fresh. We use canned corn to keep things simple. But we cook it in a way that gives it that perfect elote flavor—grilled corn that’s smoky and rich.

How to make elote pasta salad?

We’ll make the dressing. Cook the pasta. Toast the canned corn with seasoning for extra flavor. Chop the veggies. Combine everything. That’s the street corn pasta salad recipe in a nutshell. Now let’s go step by step.

Let’s start with the creamy elote dressing.

Grab your limes—zest them first, then squeeze out the juice. For the dressing base, add a chunk of feta cheese. It’s an easy swap for cotija, the cheese used in Mexican street corn. Feta is simple to find and gives the pasta corn salad that bold elote-style flavor. Plus, you don’t need to hunt for special ingredients like cotija.

Crumble the feta with a fork.

Then add Greek yogurt. Mash it all together until it’s smooth and creamy—like a thick dip.

Next, add the rest of the dressing ingredients. Start with mayonnaise. Don’t skip it—Mexican pasta salad with mayo is so creamy and rich! Then add the lime zest and juice you just prepped, a little honey to soften the lime.

Add some salt and chili flakes.

Stir everything together until well mixed.

Now the most important part: let the dressing sit while you prep the rest for the elote corn salad recipe. The flavors will blend and get even better. You’re going to love Mexican flavor in every bite!

Cook the pasta

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt it well. Add your pasta and cook it until al dente—just follow the time on the package. Don’t overcook it! For this Mexican pasta salad recipe, you want the pasta to be firm, not soft.

Once it’s ready, drain it and rinse it under cold water.

Then spread it out on a kitchen towel or paper napkins. Let it dry for a few minutes—so the pasta doesn’t stick.

How to make street corn with canned corn?

Now for the most important ingredient in elote macaroni salad—the corn.

We don’t use grilled corn on the corn cob here. Instead, we use canned corn to keep things simple. It’s faster, easier, and still gives you that bold street corn flavor. This is an easy Mexican corn salad recipe, and canned corn makes it quick and doable any day.

We prep both the corn and the dressing to give you that smoky, tangy, sweet, and zesty flavor in every bite. It’s a roasted corn pasta salad feel, without having to grill anything. And it’s ready fast. 

For this corn pasta recipe, drain the canned corn through a sieve. Rinse it under cold water.

Then spread it out on a towel and pat it dry with paper towels. This step matters—if the corn stays wet, your pasta salad with corn and mayo can turn watery.

Next, heat a dry pan over medium-high heat. Don’t add any oil—no olive oil, no other oil either. If you do, the corn kernels can start to jump and spring around in the pan. It’s better not to test that one.

Add the corn and toast it for 6 to 7 minutes. Keep an eye on it—it’ll start to brown lightly. That’s how you get that smoky elote flavor we’re after. Just what you need for a great corn and pasta salad.

Now add the mayonnaise straight into the pan and stir non-stop. Toast the corn for another 2 to 3 minutes.

You’ll see the kernels turn golden and soak up all that rich, savory flavor. That’s how you make roasted canned corn taste amazing. And it’s what makes this an easy Mexican corn salad—no need to grill or prep corn on the cob.

Once the corn is nicely toasted, put it on a plate and let it cool. Don’t skip this step—if the corn is too hot, it can make your salad mushy.

Let’s chop the veggies

Dice the bell pepper, red onion, and avocado. Slice the chives and chop a small handful of fresh cilantro. 

Now it’s time to put everything together.

This is the final step of this Mexican street corn pasta recipe—mixing it all in!

In a big bowl, add the pasta, the pan-roasted canned corn, and all the chopped veggies.

Spoon in the dressing and mix the salad well.

What makes this macaroni salad with corn special is that the pasta soaks up the dressing fast. So don’t add all of it at once. Save a little on the side and add it to your plate right before serving. That keeps the salad extra creamy and fresh. Check the recipe card below for exact measurements—how much dressing to mix into the big bowl, and how much to save for later.

That’s it! Your elote pasta salad is ready. It’s creamy, crunchy, and tangy. Perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or any warm-weather get-together. It’s the ultimate summer pasta salad. Or just enjoy it as a bold, flavor-filled lunch.

So next time someone asks what to eat with Mexican street corn, you’ll know the answer. Go with this sweet corn pasta salad. It’s quick and fills you up.

Let us know in the comments if you try it!

Ingredients, Tips, and Mistakes to Avoid

This elote pasta salad is inspired by Mexican street corn, also called elote. That’s grilled corn loaded with mayonnaise, cotija cheese, chili, and lime juice. We’re talking about real street food here. Not something you usually find in Mexican restaurants. But what’s actually served on the streets of Mexico. Just look at the crowds who line up for it and keep coming back. So what we’ve made here is a street corn salad, but with pasta and veggies. It’s more filling and still full of bold, fresh taste.

Want the most delicious results? Check the equipment and ingredients you need. They’re similar to Mexican street corn. Then use the quick tips below to make sure your salad turns out just right.

Equipment

• Frying pan to toast canned corn
• Pot to cook pasta
• Sieve to drain pasta and corn
• Grater for lime zest
• Knife and cutting board to chop veggies

Ingredients

Check the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Short pasta

We use mini penne in this pasta salad with corn, but other small shapes work just as well. Try penne, fusilli, rotini, or bowtie pasta. These short, bite-sized shapes are perfect. They hold the corn and chopped veggies in every bite and don’t turn soft or mushy.

Canned corn is already soft and small, so short pasta just makes sense. You don’t need to twirl or cut anything—just scoop and enjoy. So, for this salad or any pasta with corn, short shapes are the way to go.

Corn

Of course, you can’t make Mexican corn pasta salad without corn. Use fresh, canned, or frozen—whatever you have on hand. No time for grilling corn? Simply use canned and cook it in a pan until it’s golden and slightly smoky. A regular frying pan works great. Just don’t add any oil. 

We also add mayonnaise to bring in that classic elote flavor. It gives this elote corn pasta salad that smoky, deep taste—just like the real thing.

Feta

A typical Mexican street corn elote is made with cotija cheese. It’s a dry, salty, crumbly cheese that doesn’t melt. Use it if you can find it. But if not, feta is a great cotija cheese substitute for street corn pasta salad. It’s salty, crumbly, and easy to find in any grocery store.

We crumble feta with a fork and use it for dressing salad. This way, it coats the pasta, corn, and veggies, so the flavor is in every bite. It turns into a creamy dressing that’s salty, fresh, and full of bold street corn flavor.

Mayonnaise and Greek yogurt

You need both mayonnaise and Greek yogurt for the dressing. Mixing the two gives you the best balance—rich, creamy, and a little tangy.

Choose full-fat yogurt for this Mexican street corn pasta salad recipe. Low-fat or fat-free yogurt can turn out thin or watery. Full-fat yogurt helps recreate that authentic elote base—creamy, thick, and satisfying.

Honey & limes

The next ingredients you need for corn salad with mayo and yogurt are limes and a touch of honey. Limes make the dressing fresh and zesty.

Zest the limes first—just the green part, not the white pith underneath. Then juice them so nothing goes to waste. A little honey goes in at the end to make the dressing slightly sweet.

Chili flakes & salt

To season the dressing for this Mexican pasta salad, you only need two simple spices: chili flakes and salt.

We use chili flakes to bring that bold flavor you get from chili-roasted street corn in Mexico. Same taste, but made with simple ingredients!

Cilantro & chives

You definitely need fresh herbs here. And nothing says Mexican-style pasta salad more than cilantro and chives. Chives add a mild onion flavor, and cilantro makes everything taste extra fresh.

Avocado, bell pepper, red onion

These simple veggies make Mexican street corn macaroni salad more filling and turn it into a full meal—not just a side. Bell pepper and red onion add a nice crunch.

Slice the red onion into thin rings. Do the same with the bell pepper, but cut it into slightly thicker rings. You can use red, yellow, or green, but we go with red—it adds the best color. Cut the avocado into cubes. Choose one that’s ripe but still firm, so it doesn’t make your Mexican mac salad mushy.

That’s all the salad ingredients you need. There are a few, but all of them are easy to find—even at the nearest grocery store. We’ve swapped out anything that’s hard to get and kept the recipe simple. Just prep everything and toss it all together.

Quick Chef Tips

• Choose the right salad pasta. Go for short shapes. They hold the sauce and toppings well. And always cook pasta al dente—that gives your Mexican corn pasta salad the best texture.
• Dress it twice. Toss the salad once while it’s still warm, then again right before serving. If you store it in the fridge, the dressing soaks into the pasta. And the second toss keeps your cold Mexican pasta salad from the fridge creamy and fresh.
• Add crunch. Bell pepper and red onion are great choices. Cucumber works too—just remove the soft center so it doesn’t make the salad watery.
• Make it ahead. Want to prep your pasta salad summer dish or lunch in advance? Keep the pasta, veggies, and dressing in the fridge separately. Mix everything right before serving. Check the tips here for how to do it and how long to store it.
• Don’t skip the dressing ingredients. Each one matters. Together, they create that perfect contrast. And turn this into a sweet and sour pasta salad you’ll want to make again and again.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

This pasta salad is simple, but a few things can still go wrong. Here’s what to watch out for—and what to do so they don’t happen in the first place.

How do I make my pasta salad more flavorful?

• It starts with the basics. In this Mexican corn pasta salad recipe, the first step is to salt the pasta water. Salt it well. If the water isn’t salty enough, the pasta will taste flat—no matter how good the dressing is. Once pasta is cooked, it won’t absorb salt, so don’t skip this step.
• The chili lime elote dressing recipe also makes a huge difference. It brings bold flavor and keeps the salad from tasting bland. A good Mexican corn salad with mayo, feta, and yogurt needs that fresh, tangy kick. If the dressing ends up too acidic, just stir in a little honey or another sweetener to balance it.
• And don’t forget the herbs! Fresh cilantro is key. Chili flakes and chives also add just the right heat to make the whole salad pop.

How to make sure the dressing isn’t watery and doesn’t separate?

• Drain the corn really well, especially if you’re using canned or frozen. Rinse it under cold water. Then pat it completely dry before toasting it in the pan. Corn in pasta salad adds moisture, so it has to be dry before you mix it in—same goes for the pasta.
• When starting the dressing for this street corn pasta recipe, crumble the feta first. Then add the yogurt. Once that’s smooth, stir in the rest of the ingredients. Always use full-fat mayo and yogurt—low-fat versions can separate and turn watery. Mix the dressing thoroughly until it’s smooth and creamy. 
• Add less dressing to the salad at first, then add more if needed. Pasta absorbs dressing as it sits, so keep a spoonful aside and stir it in right before serving. That way, even straight from the fridge, your Mexican cold pasta salad stays creamy and fresh.

How to make perfect pasta?

• You definitely want al dente pasta for this street corn macaroni salad—not soft or overcooked. Cook the pasta just as the package says. Then test it to make sure it still has a little bite.
• Don’t add hot pasta to the salad. That can make everything turn mushy.
• Rinse the pasta under cold water. Then let it dry a bit before you add it to the salad and mix in the dressing. This keeps the texture just right, and the dressing coats the pasta better.

How to stop pasta salad from drying out?

• This salad can dry out because pasta soaks up the dressing over time.
• For this elote pasta recipe, we’ve already calculated the right amount of dressing. You’ll use part of it when you mix the salad, and save the rest to refresh it later. The recipe gives you about 20% more dressing than you need upfront—so you always have enough to add more before serving.
• Check the recipe card to see how much to add when mixing, and how much to leave on the side to add to the salad later.
• This is especially useful if you’re making the salad for a BBQ or any gathering. Add the first portion of dressing before you bring it, and keep the rest on the side so everyone can add more if they like. That’s how you keep your summer corn pasta salad creamy and fresh—all the time.

How to make canned corn extra tasty?

Authentic Mexican elote corn is grilled and loaded with bold flavors—that’s why it tastes smoky and rich.

• To make your creamy Mexican corn salad just as flavorful, start by prepping the canned corn the right way. Toast it in a dry pan. Don’t add oil—corn can spring around in the pan if you do.
• Toast the corn for a few minutes, then add mayonnaise halfway through. Keep cooking until the corn turns golden and flavorful.
• For even more flavor, use chili, lime, feta, and mayonnaise in the dressing. That’s how you boost the taste and bring real elote vibes into your Mexican-style corn salad.

How to Store and Make Ahead

You can easily store or make ahead Mexican macaroni salad with corn. And there’s a simple way to keep it creamy after storage. Let’s look into it.

How to Store

• Keep the pasta and corn salad in an airtight container in the fridge. Store it for up to 3 days.
• Don’t freeze it—the texture of the mayo and corn will change, and the salad won’t taste the same.

How to Refresh Leftovers

• After you store it in the fridge the pasta absorbs the dressing. And wont be creamy. To fix it add a litte dressing after you chill it in the fridge. 
• We calculated the amount of dressing in this recipe, so you have about 20% extra. It’s perfect to keep in the fridge. 
• Every time you take a serving of the salad, just grab a spoonful of the dressing and add it to your plate. That way, the macaroni corn salad stays creamy and fresh all the time.

How to Make Ahead

Want to prep a cold corn salad Mexican style ahead of time for a party or lunch? It’s super easy!

• Prepare all the ingredients as described in the recipe. Mix the corn, pasta, and veggies. Put them in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
• Make the dressing. Store it in a separate airtight container in the fridge. Also, for up to 3 days.
• Store the ingredients in the fridge in separate containers. Mix the dressing with the pasta and veggies just before serving. That keeps the salad fresh and creamy.

This pasta salad Mexican style, works great for meal prep. Make it ahead for a BBQ, gathering, or quick lunch.

Make It Yours: Swaps, Serving Ideas & More

The best part about this pasta with corn recipe is how easy it is to adjust for different diets.

Diet-Friendly Swaps

Here are the most common swaps you might need.

Gluten-Free

All the ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten-free—except for the pasta. Just swap it with a gluten-free pasta.

Check the cooking time on the package and don’t overcook it. Same as with regular pasta—al dente is best.

Lighter Option

Want a traditional Mexican pasta salad, but lighter? Easy.

Swap part of the mayo for Greek yogurt or sour cream. You can also add more veggies and use less pasta. Find the ratio that works best for you!

Need More Protein?

It’s easy to boost the protein and keep this salad vegetarian.

Add your favorite plant-based chicken or sausage—anything high in protein that you like. And of course, a classic in many traditional Mexican pasta dishes: beans!

Try black beans, kidney beans, or any kind that works for you. Rinse them under cold water and pat them dry before adding them to the salad.

If you add beans or extra protein, just adjust the other ingredients and the dressing a bit to keep the balance right.

Love Spicy?

Add sliced jalapeño pepper on top—it goes perfectly with cold Mexican food.

You can also use cayenne pepper, chili powder, or a splash of hot sauce. They all bring that bold, spicy flavor. For a veggie twist, throw in some green onions.

Mexican pasta salad with corn spicy and creamy? That combo hits just right!

Want it Milder?

Skip the heat or swap it for something sweet. Try sweet bell pepper or a bit of sweet paprika instead of chili.

And always taste as you go, so you can adjust the spice level to what you like best.

How to Serve

This creamy Mexican pasta salad is perfect for grilling season, picnics, parties, or a make-ahead lunch.

It pairs great with vegetarian options like grilled veggie chicken, vegetarian steak, or veggie sausages. It’s also amazing with grilled baguette or crispy toasted bread. 

Want something lighter on the side? Try a fresh green salad—rocket, iceberg, or whatever greens you love.

More Recipes

Love pasta salad recipes? Then you’ll want to try these next:

• Deviled egg pasta salad – Extra creamy and with crunch
• Asian cold noodle salad – One of the easiest pasta salads we’ve ever made. Simple ingredients, ready in just 15 minutes!

Craving hot pasta instead? We’ve got you covered. Try these quick and tasty hot pasta recipes:

• Cream sauce for pasta – Perfect if you love creamy sauces
• Butter sauce – Ready in 3 minutes with simple ingredients
• Garlic butter noodles – Amazing if you’re into garlic
• Creamy tomato pasta – Can’t decide between tomato or cream? This has both.

Add the breadcrumbs on top for crunch and flavor. It makes every dish feel a little more special.

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